NINETEENTH -CENTURY PIONEERING
83
Census of 1880 Iron County at the time of the 1880 census extended border to border across the territory and encompassed 13,000 square miles. The county population of 4,013 included people living in settlements which would soon be in Garfield and San Juan counties. Parowan, the county seat, was the largest community. Almost one-fourth of the population lived in Parowan-976 people in 177 households. By comparison, Cedar City had 700 whites living in 142 households and forty-nine Indians. 22 In the original Iron Mission plan, Parowan was to have been the farming community and Cedar City the manufacturing center. However, by 1880, Parowan had a range of trades indicative of a small manufacturing center, which is exactly what the Parowan United Mercantile Institution (PUMI) was. Thirty-nine men were tradesmen: six cabinetmakers, three tanners, four shoemakers (including one who specialized in bootmaking), five blacksmiths, a saddlemaker, a tailor, a hornmaker, a painter, a clockmaker, two shinglemakers, two mechanics, seven carpenters, three sawyers, a turner, and a miller. Sixty men were laborers and likely assisted in the shops and mills of PUMI. Eighty-eight residents were farmers; only three of these were livestock men or herdsmen. Arthur Robinson deemed himself a gardener, while Joshua Chidester called himself a fisherman. There were three employed as miners and seven active in freighting. Finally, there were ten professionals or business owners, including John Brown, county attorney; William Mitchell, assessor/ collector; William Dame, co-op manager; two merchants; two traders; James Benett, an artist/photographer; Robert Quarm, Parowan's first telegraph operator; and John Dalley, a schoolteacher. A number of women listed occupations as well. Ellen McGregor was postmistress and Anna Bayles indicated she was a doctor, although nurse or midwife is more accurate. A dressmaker, two seamstresses, a milliner, and two schoolteachers are also listed. Most women were shown as kitchen help, although their range of skills extended far beyond the kitchen. By comparison, Cedar City's men were overwhelmingly involved
